Did you
know?
alert
adjective
- vigilantly attentive; watchful
- mentally responsive and perceptive; quick
- brisk or lively in action
noun
- a signal that warns of attack or danger
- a condition or period of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action
verb
- to notify of approaching danger or action; warn
(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
---
WORD ORIGIN
From the French alerte (vigilant) and the phrase à l'erte (on the watch) and from the Italian phrase all'erta (to the height). Erta means "lookout, high tower" and stems from the Latin erigere (to raise). The adjective form of alert is from 1712, the noun from 1803, and the verb from 1868.
Alert is frequently used as part of the phrase "be on the alert for", which is followed by whatever one should be on the alert for. For instance: Be on the alert for pick-pockets when you arrive at the train station.
More serious alerts are issued everyday by governments. A quick search of the United Kingdom government web site reveals alerts about everything from computer viruses, floods, petrol contamination, foreign travel destinations, souvenirs made from endangered animal species, financial scams, influenza, vehicle traffic and of course terrorism.
---
SYNONYMS
adjective
active, bright, cagey, careful, circumspect, clever, heedful, intelligent, jazzed, lively, observant, on guard, perceptive, psyched up, quick, ready, sharp, smart as a whip, spirited, switched on, vigilant, wary, watchful, wide-awake, wired, wise, with it
noun
SOS, admonition, alarm, flap, high sign, sign, signal, siren, tip-off
verb
alarm, flag, forewarn, inform, notify, signal, tip, tip off, wave flag, warn
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
---
ANTONYMS
adjective
asleep, comatose, drowsy, inattentive, lethargic, out to lunch, sluggish, unalert, unobservant
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
---
IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
"Stay alert during his presentation, he says important things between-the-lines."